Cleaning with a cleaning or personal care composition, such as dishwashing detergent, often involves the frequent application of a detergent to a cleaning implement, such as a cloth or sponge, or directly onto the item (e.g. plate, saucepan) being washed. Current methods of applying dishwashing detergent include providing the detergent in a conventional bottle that must be picked up, inverted, and squeezed to dispense. This method of dispensing the composition may add time to the cleaning process. Additionally, this method of dispensing can be physically awkward, requiring both of the user's hands, one hand to hold the cleaning implement and the other hand to hold the bottle. Nonetheless, there are situations where a consumer may prefer a conventional cleaning composition bottle. For example, a conventional liquid bottle may be convenient for direct application onto a soiled surface, for dispensing detergent directly into the sink, and for uses that require the consumer to carry the bottle outside of the kitchen or wash room.
Wall mount dispensers exist that allow for one-handed dispensing, wherein a single hand can both actuate dispensing of the cleaning composition and hold the target surface upon which the cleaning composition is deposited. While wall mount dispensers may provide ease of use, such a dispenser may be impractical for home use. For example, mounting a dispenser on a wall in a kitchen or wash room may be inconvenient or aesthetically displeasing to a consumer.
Dispensers configured to stand on a countertop also exist. Such dispensers may be configured with sensors, such as optical sensors, for one-handed dispensing. However, due to the size, shape, or design of such countertop dispensers that allow for single-handed dispensing, it may be difficult or impractical to use such a dispenser in the situations where the user wants to carry the dispenser for use outside of the kitchen or wash room.
Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a dispensing device that involves a single-handed dispensing, while offering the flexibility to be used as a conventional dispensing container and that is capable of being placed on a rigid surface such as a countertop.